The Challenge
After years of growth at Holland Community Aquatic Center (HCAC), simultaneous use by competitive programming and public access to their pools was becoming a capacity problem. They determined that a renovation of the existing facility and an expansion would allow them to accommodate their growing needs and turn the center into a community-focused wellness hub.
After getting a millage added to the ballot, HCAC needed to engage the public in an information and education campaign to ensure voters could make an informed decision. The team at HCAC reached out to Boileau to connect with community opinion leaders and decision makers, establishing the Aquatic Center’s value and setting a vision for their prospective renovation and expansion project.
The Solution
Our first step was to provide them with a unified campaign message and strategy to gain the attention of the opinion leaders and decision-makers of Holland. While building support from the ground-up through voters was imperative, we wanted to ensure that Holland community leadership and organizations were on-board with HCAC’s plan as well.
We surveyed community members and stakeholders connected to HAC to gain a deeper understanding of their support for the milage, understanding of the aquatic center, and their likelihood of voting in the upcoming election.
Using the insights we gained from the survey and stakeholder meetings, we developed a set of key messages for the campaign. The core themes needed to ring true through any materials or tools used during the campaign. Once those key messages were set, we collaborated with a political campaign consultant with specific niche voter-outreach experience.
We also assisted HCAC with scheduling a series of informational community meetings with groups like the West Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Lakeshore Advantage, HASP, other community organizations and the media. The goal was to create greater understanding throughout the entire Holland community regarding the Aquatic Center’s plan, the necessity of the expansion and renovation, and why the continued sustainability of HCAC provides great value to the community.
The Results
The vote passed with broad community support at all levels; voters supported The Everyday Campaign, with 62% voting in its favor.
Boileau continues to provide the Holland Community Aquatic Center with ongoing communications support for current and future construction plans, engaging stakeholders as they move into the project’s next phase.